South Hadley Town Meeting decides on half-time Youth Commission director

SOUTH HADLEY – Town Meeting swiftly agreed to allot funds to cover two areas that went over budget in the Fiscal Year about to end, with an extra $15,000 going to the Veterans Benefit Account and $200,000 to Snow Removal.

Almost as quickly, it agreed to fund a budget of $19,252,563 for the South Hadley Schools for fiscal year 2012.

Then came Article 9, and by the time the discussion was over, Moderator Edward J. Ryan commented that it had been the longest discussion on record over a single amendment, as far as he knew.

Under the innocuous title of Expenses of General Government, an amendment in Article 9 requested funds to hire a director of the fledgling South Hadley Youth Commission. The $50,000 request had been revised to $41,000 because $9,000 was already raised by the group.

About a dozen teenaged members of the commission filed silently into Town Hall auditorium and watched as comments flew from one side of the hall to the other.

Some supporters said the commission, founded in the wake of the suicide of high school student Phoebe Prince, offered kids a chance to take back their town after a traumatic year.

Others said it was “unconscionable” to create a new full-time position in a year when pay raises were being denied and municipal retirees were at risk of increased health insurance payments. They also said there were other service groups for teens to join.

“It’s absurd to say that if this town doesn’t pass this measure, it’s because we do not support out youth,” said Town Meeting member Evelyn Chesky.

The amendment failed initially. It passed after Town Meeting member Linda Young asked to amend it to a half-time director for half the salary and no benefits.

At that point another member of Town Meeting proposed a 2 percent raise for non-union employees of the town, saying that if the room was in a giving mood, these workers had a right to be considered. The amendment failed.

Also contentious was the debate surrounding Article 20, which under the heading of Unclassified Accounts included a proposal to reduce the town’s contribution to retiree health insurance from 55 percent to 50 percent.

The Appropriations Committee had initially approved the measure, but on further study decided more research has to be done.

It turns out that what retirees pay ranges widely, from 46 to 26 percent. Selectboard member Marilyn Ishler said she has studied the records diligently and can’t find a reason for the disparity.

Also, she said, there is no incentive for subscribers to opt for modestly priced health insurance plans, since people seem to be paying the lowest percentages on plans with the highest premiums.

The Appropriations Committee asked that the issue be taken up again in the future.

Town Meeting also passed budgets of the South Hadley Library, the DPW and other departments, and approved the measure to join the newly invigorated Hampshire Council of Governments.